Track-signal



of Canada,

mosaic a. wanxn'm, or MONTREAL, QUEBEC, cannon.

max-storm Specification of Lettert Patent.

Application filed larch It, 1920. Serial No. 887,018.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnonmo L. Wann- LYN, of the city of Montreal,county of Hochelaga, Province of Quebec, Dominion a subject of the Kingof Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrack signal's; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

M invention relates particularly to detonating track torpedoes or fogsignals for use on railways.

Heretofore devices of this nature have not been efiective under certainconditions, as for instance, when the noise due to vibration has beentoo great for the engine driver to hear the detonation, and thisinvention has for its object to provide a torpedo or fog signal whichwill fulfil the requirements of a detonator and at the same timesupplement the detonation by a brilliant flash and apungent odor.

To this end the invention consists oi a torpedo comprising a hermeticallsealed waterproof-container carrying a etonator and a charge of flashlight andpungent odor producing powder, the container being providedwith spring clips by which it may be readily attached to the rail head.

For full comprehension howeverof my invention reference must be had tothe accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicatethe same parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved invention;

V Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 22 Fig.1; v

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating a modified form of my torpedo; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are under side views of the 1 rectangular and circulartorpedoes respectively.

Although my improved signaling appliance has the appearance of a torpedoit also performs the function of a signal flashlight and the elements ofmy signal device may be contained in a rectangular con tainer asillustrated, in Fig. 1 or a container of circular form as illustrated inFig. 6, and although the sections illustrated by Figs. 2 and 3 areindicated on the illustration of the rectangular container in Fig. 1

- ardly they are equallyillustrative of similar sections of the circularcontainer.

Each container is fastened in a carrier 6 consistin of acomparatively'thin sheet metal, pre erably tin coated or galvanized.

Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

The charge consisting of a plastic cake a i of any suitable detonatingmixture and a flash powder d consisting of magnesium or a combination ofpotassium chlorate and magnesium. Inorderto obtain a pungent odor asmall quantity e of red arsenic or other inflammable substance capableof producing a pungent odor is added to the mixture.

These ingredients, the detonator-s-cake and flash-1i ht and odorproducing powders are inclo in a waterproof container consisting of afibrous envelop whichhas been subjected to a suitable water-proofingtreatinent. This container is indicated at f, the

open ends of which. are crimp'ed within the turned-over edges 9 of thecarrier. These ingredients may be charged into the containersimultaneously or separately.

The ingredients of the detonating cake must be, such that suddenabrasion such as roduced by the wheel of a locomotive passmg over itwhile detonating it will instantaneously ignite the flash-light and odorproducing powders thus producing a loud detonation and at the same timea brilliant flash and simultaneously a pungent odor.

In order that the signal device may be held firmly in placenotwithstanding the excessive vibration of the rail due to anapproaching locomotive and at the same time the track be automaticallycleared of the expended torpedo after it has performed its triplefunction, the thin sheet metal floor of. the container has a pair ofslots 7c, and a 'pair of spring clips formed from a strip m of resilientmetal the middle portion of which has a pair of spaced crimps n and oregistering with and protruding downwardly through the slots k, thestrip lying over the floor of the carrier and being secured thereto by arivet p. These clips are made to conform in a measure to the averagerail head and their resilience adapt them .to fit different sizes andshapes 0 geads; the ends of the clipsbeing bent inas at r to grip thelower portion of the head. When the locomotive wheel asses over thissignal device the pressure reeks the resilient strip at one or both Icrimps n and '0 and the device springs from 3. A railway signaling apliance consist- 20 the rail head. Y a

'What I claim is as follows: 1. A railway signaling applianceconsistning of the combination with a container and means for fasteningthe same to a rail head of a detonator and a flash-light powder andinflammable powder converging legs having inwardly and up;

wardly curvedends for gripping the sides of the rail-head, a containersecured to the carrier and containing a detonator, and a flash-lightpowder.

ingof a carrier having paral e1 spaced slots,

spring clips consisting of a strip of resilient metal secured to thecarrier and having crimps registering with and protruding slightlythrough the slots; a water-proof fibrous container secured in thecarrier by crirnped edges of the latter; and a detonator, a flash-lightpowder and inflammable powder producing a pungent odor on ignition, allcontained within the container.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two witnesses.

FREDERIC L. WANKLYN.

Witnesses: GoRnoN G. COOKE, HWILLIAM J. C. Hnwn'rson'.

